Egyptian voters swarm to presidential polls

Thursday, May 24, 2012 - 01:26

May 24 - Egyptian voters form long queues during the second and final day of landmark presidential elections. Simon Hanna reports.

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Long queues form once again outside polling stations across Egypt.
It's the second and final day of landmark elections that will determine who will be the country's first president since last year's popular uprising.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN VOTER NASSER HASSAN:
"I voted based on what the country needs right now, and based on what is appropriate for the current circumstances. And what is appropriate is ideas put forward by the revolution and for the revolution to continue and succeed."
Many government workers have the day off to vote, and the turnout is expected to be higher than on the first day.
For many the chance to cast their ballot and make a free choice about who will lead the country is cause for excitement.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN VOTER FATMA AWAD:
"I want freedom, I want justice I want the country to be safe. I want all these good things for our country. I want our country to no longer have thuggery in it, or things like that. I want our country to be good again like it was in the past."
The elections are seen as a crucial stage in the turbulent army-led transition to democracy racked by protests, violence and political disputes.
The ruling Military Council has promised to handover power to the new president by July 1st, but the army is expected to wield influence for years to come.
And with a dispute over who should write the constitution still unresolved, the new president will not know his own powers when he is elected.
Simon Hanna Reuters.

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